Head of Joint Strategic Partnership Office

About The Role

This full-time post is available from 1st January 2027 on a permanent basis subject to satisfactory completion of probationary period.

The starting salary will be from £67,144 up to £84,594 on grade H, based on knowledge, skills and experience.

Summary of the Role

We are seeking to attract a highly skilled and experienced leader to undertake the role of Interim Head of Joint Partnership Office for the University of Exeter (UoE) and Royal Devon University Hospital Trust (RDUH). The RDUH and UoE have a long-standing and successful partnership encompassing research, education and innovation at significant scale and excellence. This post holder will develop an ambitious strategy and implementation plan, to build on and catalyse the power and benefit of joint working. Particular focus will be around the evolution of a Joint Office and joint models of working, to scale and accelerate translational, commercial and applied health research, whilst also responding to the NHS workforce Plan.

Establishing and utilising strong governance and accountability structures, the Interim Head of Joint Partnership Office will act as a key leader, negotiator and relationship manager across the two organisations. They will be responsible for agreeing essential objectives, deliverables and KPIs for the joint office and to determine the future working arrangements, including the nature of leadership required at multiple levels, for maximum benefit of both organisations.

The role holder will:

Have strong intellectual capacity and reasoning; have proven staff management and leadership experience; a high degree of initiative, responsibility and self-motivation and a professional and proactive approach to problem solving; be a confident decision maker with strategic experience and significant operational delivery experience who can lead through periods of change; have experience of designing processes, systems and services to meet a diverse range of needs and have experience of managing complex budgets and contracts.

Relevant experience in an HE and research-intensive environment, such as that gained within NHS Research & Development, is essential.

This role will be employed within the University of Exeter’s Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. Nevertheless, the role holder will have joint accountability to RDUH, via the Research & Development Director. Office space will be made available at St Lukes Campus, within the Faculty of Health & Life Sciences as well as nearby at the hospital site. There will be flexibility for some home / remote working. 

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

Informal Enquiries

Before submitting an application you may wish to discuss the post further by contacting Emily Simpson, Executive and Specialist Recruitment Lead emily.simpson21@nhs.net or 07958 931414 in the first instance.

Selection will take place on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th December 2026.

Flexible and hybrid working arrangements can be considered.

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